Stabilized paperboard carrier



Aug. 14, 1951 w. A. RINGLER 2,564,449

STABILIZED PAPERBOARD CARRIER Filed July 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l QF'IGAZ 16 H2 6 3 1/ INVENTOR.

BYMU W ATToPNEYs.

Aug. 14, 1951 w, A. RINGLER STABILIZED PAPERBOARD CARRIER 2 Sheets-She et 2 Filed July 12, 1949 INVENTOR. Mum 4 li /M62542 BY ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1951 STABILIZED PAPERBOARD- CARRIER William A." Rin'gler, Wayne, Pa., assignor to The Gardner Board and Carton 00., Middletown,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I v I Application July 12, 1949, Serial .No. 104 ,188"

11 Claims.

QIn my Patent No. 2,-3'71317, issued March 13,

1945, and entitled Bottle Carrier, I have disclosed a type of paperboard. carrier for bottles or the like wherein there is a band portion comprising side and end walls-in alternate order, this band portion being connected together at its ends for surrounding an assembly of bottles or 'the like. There are-extensions on they lower edges of the" side walls scored to form bottom members, and

elements extending upwardly medially of the band portion'to form a central longitudinal partition and carrying handle elements. The extensions on the lower edges of the side walls are so'dimensioned, in connection with the length of the band portion that the blanks for the carriers will nest when produced from sheets of boxboard by ordinary cutting and scoring operations. The relative length of the side and end walls is such that the band portion provides rounded corners conforming to the curved shape of end bottles in an assembly; and the patent also teaches that lateralpartition elements may be cut from portions of the side and end walls to project inwardly toward the central partition and handle elements to separate from each other the bottles in the several rows of the assembly. The carrier was designed primarily for an assembly of six bottles in two rows of three each.

The structure as described in my patent has a number of advantages, such as simplicity, economy, and ease of manufacture; but it is inher-, ently unstable, especially when not containing the full complement of bottles. Moreover, the central partition and handle elements will not maintain their position if the carrier is empty.

Since the development of the carrier of my said Letters Patent, a number of styles of fully partitioned carriers have been produced in which lateral partition elements are articulated both to the side walls of the carrier and to the .central partition. These carriers have greater stability, and some of them in the erected form are fairly rigid. They, however, require more paperboard for their formation, and hence are morecostly in the raw material. Furthermore; they are much more complicated to produce, requiring in the main avery large number of folding operations and gluing operations. This in turn requires more elaborate mechanism for the folding and gluing operations, such as right-angled machines or machineswhich are capable of folding ele-. ments fore and aft in the direction of motion of theblank. All of such machines, likewise, must have more than two folding sections, or it is necessary to pass the blanks or semi-finished carriers twice or more times through the same' or different machines.

It is an object of 'the pre'sent invention to "provide improvements in thecarriers of my former patent whereby such carriers are given new utility and. fields of service.

lit lore particularly, it is an object of the inventioiij to preserve the simplicity of manufacture and low cost of the carriers of my former patent,

, while gaining advantages of stability not hitherto attainable in such'carri'ers. g

It is an object of the invention to provide a carrier of the type set forth which is a"fully partitioned carrier, and which in the ,erected form maintains theposition of the central partition and'handle members rigidly and accurately. There has recently grown up "a practice of loading carriers .by automatic machines while a plurality of the carriers is located'in bottle crates. It' is an object of this invention to provide a carrier having all of theadvantages of the carriers of my former patent" and" at the same time capable of being *filled by automatic machines in the way stated.

It is n object of my invention to provide a carrier having the advantages enumerated above, whichat the same time is 'so inexpensive that'it may be used for one-trip,service with disposable bottles or containers. In thisconne'ction it may be pointed out that there has been developed a practice of mechandising carbonated beverages including beer inldi'spjosable containers which are not returned, for refilling, and if such beverage containers are to be ,mechan'dised in sales groups in. a carrier, it is necessary to provide acarrier much less expensive-than anyhitherto produced having afully partitioned character and sufficient stability to permit-filling byautomatic machines. This my invention-accomplishes. The objects-described, and others which will beset iorthhereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specie fica-tions, I accomplish. in that procedure and structure of which I shall now present an exemplary embodiment. Reference 'is made tothe accompanying drawings wherein: J

' Figure l is a plan view of the blank for .my. new carrier. s Figure -2 is a plan view-of the blank-after an initial foldingoperation. f

Figure 3 is'a plan view ofthe blank after-the final folding operation.

Figure .4 is a top view of the carrier sub stantially collapsed condition; l

tition elements with the longitudinal partitions.-

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the erected carrier after the effecting of the aforesaid engagement.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the erected carrier with certain parts broken away.

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical section of the erected carrier taken along the line Ill-l of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a partial lateral section of the carrier showing the manner of formation of the hand hole elements; I H Figure 12 is a partial lateral section of the carrier showing the use of the reinforcing longitudinal partition flaps.

Referring" to Figure 1, wherein I' have illustrated the blank for the exemplary embodiment of my invention, and wherein solid lines indicate lines of cut and dash-dot lines indicate lines of score, it will be seen that I provide a band portioncomprising in theorder named the glue flap I, a partial end wall member 2, a side Wall member 3' and a partial end wall member 6. The length of the side wall members, as will be evident from Figure '8, is less than the length of the assembly of bottles. The length of the end wall elements is slightly greater than the Width of the assembly of bottles; and the end wall elements are provided with score lines 1 facilitating a curving of end portions of the end walls to conform tothe curved configuration of the end bottlesin the assembly.

"In addition, the end wall element 4 is provided with a medial score line 8 on which the band portion of my structure may be bent or folded for tubing, and on which the tubed structure may collapse into the knocked down conditionfif To the edges of the side walls 3 and 5, I articulatebottom'forming elements 9 and In, each of a width to extend half way'across the erected band. To the bottom forming elements I articulate'longitudinalpartition and handle structures 11' and I2. The length of these structures may be as desired, and ordinarily'the length will be proportioned to the height of the bottles to be placed in the carrier. -The elements H and I2 are provided with hand holes by lines of cut and lines ofscore so as to provide hand hole flaps l3 and I4 as understood in the art. Also, I prefer to provide narrow flap portions l5 and IS on the tops of the elements H and I2, and articulated theretoby score lines.

The elements H and I2 are further provided with: lines of-cut l1 and lines of score I8 so as to produce bendable flaps [9, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. These flaps are generally oftrapezoidal form, the score lines l8 being substantially longer than the straight portions of the cut lines [1. The spacing between the cut lines I! in their straight portions will be substantially that of the spacing of the lateral partitions from each other in the erected carrier. The spacing of the score lines l8 from each other will besubsta'ntially less than the spacing of the lateral partition elements in the erected carrier.

Lateral partition elements 2|], 2|, 22 and 23 are formed from the side walls and portions of the end walls by appropriate lines of cut surrounding the lateral partition elements on three sides, the fourth side being provided with a score line as shown. The length of the lateral partition elements from the score line to the sideopposite is greater than the width of the bottomt elements 9 and [0, i. e. greater than the proper distance between the side Walls and the central longitudinal handle and partition elements in the erected carrier, for a purpose hereinafter to be set forth. Near the cut ends of the lateral partition elements I providenotches indicated at 24 and 25. These notches are located inwardly from the cut ends of the lateral partition elements by such a distance that the remainder of these lateral partition elements, i. e. their portions lying between the slots and the score line, are equivalent to the normal distance between the side walls of the carrier and the" longitudinal partition elements in the erected structure. The distance between the ends of the slots 24 and 25 for any;

individual lateral partition element is substantiall ly the same as the length of the straight portion of the cut I! in the longitudinal partition elements II and i2.

' It will be understood that the blank illustrated in Figure 1 hereof maybe made from paperboard sheets by ordinary cutting and scoring operations on 'a cutting and scoring press) The paperboard may be printed as desired} [The weight of the paperboard employed may be proportioned to the service required-of the carrier, i. e. the weight of the load it-will be called upon to bear, but by reason of the extraordinary 'stabil-' ity of the erected"carrier,fvery "much lighter weights of board may be-employed for the same weight of contents, particularly where the carrier is not intended for more than'one trip but is to be disposed of along with disposable containers'for the liquids carried;

In folding and gluing 'my improved carrier blanks, the only operation required is -a tubing of the band portion thereof, by folding'it along the medial score line 8fof the" end wall element 4, and folding'over and adhesively securing, the glue flap 'lhto thewouter marginal portion 'of the partial ,end wallel'emen'ts 6x All other operations required in the erecting of'thecarrier may be performedby hand by the user.

However, further folding operations may be per formed on the carrier at the box plant so as to minimize the operations required in its ultimate erection andjso as to produce packages of the' knocked down' carriers which are smaller in longitudinal and lateral dimensions. Thus, as 'illus trated in Figure 2, 'before tubing "the band portion, I may fold over the elements I I and I2 onto the bottom and side wall'ele'ments'fi and 3 and I0 and 5 respectively, the folding being done on the lines of articulation between the bottom ele' ments and the central longitudinal partitionand handle extensions. 1

Also, if desiredfI' may apply adhesive as at2 6 to one of the longitudinal partitionl'elements', ay the element; l. .Actuallygadhsion of the-1on gitudinal partition and handlef'elements to each other isnot required inmyj car'rier, since'the ultimate engagementofthelateral partition ele ments with the longitudinal partition element will have the effect of fastening'these elements rigid ly together. Thus an operation may be saved in folding and gluingthe'jcarriers "Where; however, the handle elementsare very long and the carrier is made of very light andhe'nce excessively flexible board, -an-adhesive union of "the elements II and "to each other will tend-to prevent sagging or displacement of handle portions which extend a -'great;distance upwardly beyond the top of the'b'and portion, and hence facilitate the use of the carriers-:inautomatic filling operations. ---If adhesive atta'chment is desired, atthesame time thatthe area of adhesive I par-ts in the collapsed carrier, while Figures 6- and '7' illustrate their relationship in the erected structure. It will be understood that in erecting my carrier the-side wall portions 3 and 5 are drawn outwardly-away from each other, and the bottom forming portions 9 and in are bent overat right angles to the side walls. This re-- sults "in-an upward-motionof the handle and longitudinal partition forming elements H and IZ'Which now riseabovethe'top edges of the side and end wallsof thecarrier.

TO-complete the erectionof the carrier, the lateral partition elenients 20, 21,22 and '23 are now folded inwardlyj their ends being passed through the longitudinal partition elements II and Hand interlocked therewith The passing of the end portions of the lateral partition elements through the longitudinal jpartition elements is rendered possible by the formation-of the flaps l9 hereinabove described. The respective flaps l9 will-have been brought into juxtaposition as respects the longitudinal par.- titionelements II and 12 bythe folding operations hereinabove describech-or if these elements have not previously been foldedyby passing them through the erected bandportion of the carrier and bringing the longitudinal partition-forming elements into face-to-face juxtaposition, as' will be understood from mydrawings. The respective pairs of flap elements I9 in the central longitudinal partition structureare-bent inwardly as shown in Figure 7. The, end portions of the lateral partition elements are. -.-passed' through the longitudinal partition structure adjacent the.

longitudinal score lines l8, where space is provided to accommodate thewidth of the end portions of the lateral-partition elements. When these elements have been -so' positioned, the slots 24 and 25 adjacent their ends'will lie in the plane of 'the longitudinalpartition structure; andth'e lateral partition elements-maybe'moved from the slanted positions-shown in dotted lines in Figure 7 to the parallel positions shown in solid lines in Figure 8. In this movement, the ends of the lateral partition elements approach the straight line portions of the cuts I! in the longitudinal partition structure, and since these out portions are of reduced length as respects the over-all width of the ends of the lateral partitions, portions of the longitudinal partition structure engage in the slots 24 and 25. Then the previously folded flaps I9 are permitted to return as nearly as they can into the plane of the longitudinal partition structure, as illustrated at [9:1 in Figure 8. Thus a positive lock is formed. The lateral partition elements are not only interlocked with the longitudinal partition structure and with each other, but by reason of the fact that end portions of them have been passed enti'rely through the lateral partition structure and lie in face-to-face engagement with each other, braced-by theresilient flaps as at [911,

a particularly rigid structure is effected. The

longitudinal partition and handle structureis not only'maintained with the proper spacing between the two-side walls 3 and'5, but the whole struc ture-is rig-idified -so that thelongitudinal partition and handle structure cannot tilt with respect .to

the band' portion of my carrier in any direction.

The' carrier .is extraordinarily well'braced in the erected condition and is well adapted for filling byautomatic machines.

T-he manner'in which the end portions of the lateral partition' elements lap in extending through the longitudinal partition is illustrated in l igure 10. The two elements H and 1 2 of the longitudinal partition and handle forming struc-' ture are held together in spite of an omission ofadhesive union, as will be evident. V

When 'the handhole is to be made-available for-carrying, the hand hole flaps 13 and 14 are passed through to one side, as illustratedin Figure 11. theto'p' of the handle structure as illustrated in Figu'relZ. This not only proides for ease in carrying, but very considerably strengthens the handle portion per se and rigidities it laterally.

' Modifioations may -be made in my invention without-departing from the'spirit of it. Having thusdescribed my invention in an exemplary'embodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1 A paperboard bottle carrier or like structure having a band portionwith side and end walls in -articulation for surrounding an assembly-of articles to be carried, extensions-on the lower edges of the side walls providing bottom elements and-a central longitudinal partition and handle structure of two plies; and lateral partition elementss'truck from portions of the side and end walls and-articulated-to the side walls, said lateral partition elements having adetachable interlocking engagement with said central longitudinal partition and handle-structure.

2 The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said interlocking I engagement involves end portions of" said lateral partitionrlements which pass through said central longitudinal partition andhandle forming structure'and lie in face-tofa'ce ehgagement with "each other.

3. "The 'st ruotureclaimed in claim '1 wherein the lengthhf said lateral partition elementsis great'eu'than the normal "distancebetween said side walls and the central longitudinal partition and handle'forming structure in the erected: car

structure, said longitudinal partition structure having flaps formed therein, the outer edges of said flaps being spaced apart the normal distance between said lateral partition forming elements and the inner or articulated edges of said flaps being spaced apart less than the normal distance -'-I he small flaps I5 and I6 are bent over atbetween, thelateralpartition elements, said lat: eral partition elements having adjacent theirends means for engagement with said centrallongitudinal partition structure.

;-5. The structure claimed in claim titionvand handle forming structure, saidflaps having outer edge. portions spaced from each other substantially, the normal distance, between lateral partition elementsjin said. carrier, and inner, articulated edges, spaced a lesser amount,

saidifia'psbeing depressible to one sideof said,

6. The structure claimed in claim wherein said flaps tend toreturn to the plane of said central longitudinal partition and handle forming structure and in doing so engage said lateral par-, titionforming elements tomaintain the locking relationship thereof with said central longitudinal partition, and .handle forming structure.

7. The structureclaimed inclaim 6 in which said central longitudinal partition and handle forming structure is provided with hand hole flaps. c p

8..Ifhe structure claimedin claim 6 in which said central longitudinal partition and handle forming structure is provided with hand hole flaps, and additional bracing flaps articulated to the upper end thereof.

v 9. The structure claimed in claim 8 wherein said side wall elements are less in length than the length of an assembly of articles to be carried therein, and wherein said side wall ele ments are of greater length than the distance between the side wall elements in the erected carrier, whereby said band portion assumes a a rounded configuration at the corners of the erected carrier to'conform to the rounded con figuration of articles carried therein.

[10. In a bottle carrier or like structurea band portion in closed form comprising side and end wall elementsf'or surrounding a series of articles to bec'arried, extensions on thelower edges of said side walls and scored to provide bottom forming elements and juxtaposed up- 3 wherein flaps are formed insaid -central longitudinal pare-c.

wardly, extending longitudinal partition and handle forming elements, lateral partition elements struck from portions of said side and end walls, having a length greater than the normal distance between said side walls and.

the central longitudinal partition of said carrier,

said lateral partition elements being passed through said centrallongitudinal partition andhandle forming structure and mterlocked therewith to rigidity the carrier in erected condition; 11. A one-piece knock-down paperboard bottle carrier having a band portion with side and end walls in articulation for surrounding an assembly of articles to be carried, extensions, on the lower edges of said side walls providing:

bottom'elements-and a double thickness central longitudinal partition, lateral partition elements:

articulated to said side walls, said lateral partitions each being greater in length than the normal distance between said side walls and the; central longitudinal partition in the erected car-; rier, said central longitudinal partition having flaps formed therein, said flaps providing openings in said central longitudinal partition the: outer edges of which are spaced from each other,

substantially the normal distance between lateral partition elements in said carrier, the inner edges of said openings having said flaps articulated thereto and being spaced from said first men-- tioned edges, said flaps being depressible to onev side of said central longitudinal partition and: having a length adjacent their inner articulated edges substantially equivalent to the width of end portions of said lateral partition forming elements, and a length adjacent their outer edges less than the first mentioned length, said lateral partition forming elements passing completely through said openings and having notches adjacent their free ends for engaging portions of: said central longitudinal partition adjacent the,

outer edges of said opening, the portions of the lateral partition elements which pass through said fiaps lying in face to face contact with each other.

WILLIAM A. RINGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the: file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,041,609 Imnan May 19, 1936 2,106,266 7 Bate Jan. 25, 1938 2,243,154 Hedrick May 27, 1941' 2,263,455 Coyle Nov. 18, 1941 2,371,317 Ringler Mar. 13, 1945 2,431,932 Hall Dec. 2, 1947 

